Leading up to the 2003 NBA Draft, LeBron James received significant attention as the presumed No. 1 overall pick. He was perhaps the most tantalizing draft prospect at that point, which came with an endless amount of news and magazine articles written about him and sports television segments centered around whether he would be a bust or not. His high school basketball games were events as everyone packed into Akron gyms to get a sneak peek of the next big thing. Some of his final high school games also attracted a national television audience.
James has obviously surpassed the hype tenfold, and the media attention around him has only increased. However, as his son, Bronny, prepares for the 2024 NBA Draft, the elder James says he wouldn't have been able to handle the type of criticism and attention Bronny is getting right now at 19 years old.
"I wouldn't be able to handle the scrutiny and all the things that he got going on at his age, at his level with social media," James said on his and JJ Redick's podcast 'Mind the Game.'
"Like I didn't have social media to deal with when I came in at 18. I did have a lot of scrutiny. I did have a lot of things that were put on my shoulders. But I didn't have -- every single day -- around-the-clock news coverage, sports shows, things talking about this particular person every single day."
James went on to say he's proud of how his son has managed all this attention.
"You go online, on social media, on X and Instagram, everyone can comment every single day about whatever they want to say," James said. "I didn't have to deal with that. To see him handle it with such class and self-awareness and staying even-keeled is such a remarkable thing. Super proud of him."
There's been criticism around Bronny's draft journey because many people believe that he should have stayed at least another year in college before declaring. After one lone season at USC, which was handicapped by a congenital heart defect, Bronny entered the transfer portal while also declaring for the draft. He averaged just 4.8 points. 2.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists as a freshman with the Trojans in 25 games while averaging nearly 20 minutes primarily off the bench. He's projected to go in the second round, and the Lakers have been open to the idea of drafting Bronny, which would fulfill LeBron's dream of playing with his son in the NBA.
"As a parent, to be able to witness a child of yours start to live out a dream of theirs -- it's something Bronny has always talked about. We've asked him plenty of times what's your end goal? And his end goal is to be in the NBA," James said. "To see him almost at that moment, for a parent it's something you can just be in awe of. You want your kids to be able to live out their dreams."
Bronny has said he's never envisioned playing with his dad. When asked about the types of players he envisions himself being in the NBA, the names he mentioned -- Derrick White, Jrue Holiday, Davion Mitchell -- made it clear that he is charting a very different path for himself.
"Guys that excel in every role," Bronny said. "Get good money and get good playing time because they're locked into that role and know what they're supposed to do."
Bronny has been touted for his defense in high school and at USC. Hearing that he's aligning himself with defensive-minded players like the ones he's listed, shows that he's willing to do the not-so-glamourous stuff to remain in the NBA.
"He's definitely carving out his own lane," LeBron said. "He's definitely not his dad, and I'm not him."
While the Lakers have been rumored to draft LeBron's eldest child, we'll have to see where he lands on draft night in June.
